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The Best Plants For Insects

This article showcases our top picks for the Best Plants For Insects. We reached out to industry leaders and experts who have contributed the suggestions within this article (they have been credited for their contributions below). We are keen to hear your feedback on all of our content and our comment section is a moderated space to express your thoughts and feelings related (or not) to this article This list is in no particular order.

Daisies

This product was recommended by Rhys Charles from Mower on the lawn

For one, they are very easy to grow and maintain. They also provide a great source of food for insects, as they are full of nectar. Additionally, daisies are very beautiful flowers that add a splash of color to any garden.

Foxglove Plant

This product was recommended by Billy Parker from Gift Delivery

Foxgloves are popular garden plants that attract a variety of beneficial insects, such as bees and other pollinators. Their bright and colorful flowers bloom in spring and early summer, providing essential resources for these insects who help to maintain the health of your garden. Foxglove plants should be included in any insect-friendly garden!

Lavender

This product was recommended by Betsy Brook from Little Beauties Home

Lavender is one of the best ways to deter pests from your yard or porch! Not only is the plant beautiful both in bloom and not, the scent is so soothing and relaxing to have near your door or on your porch. Lavender is known to repel mosquitoes, fleas, moths, and houseflies, just to name a few insects it keeps away. I have always loved having lavender plants in our yard and on our porch, but only learned about the added benefits of keeping bugs away in recent years – added bonus!

Honeysuckle

This product was recommended by James Rivenburg from Plant And Pest

Honeysuckle is an attractive flowering plant that attracts beneficial insects like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. It produces sweet, fragrant nectar that insects love. It is a great addition to any garden as it is easy to grow and maintain. Honeysuckle also provides a great source of food for beneficial insects, which help to keep pests away. The flowers are available in a variety of colors and sizes, making it easy to create a stunning display. Not only is it attractive, but it also serves a vital purpose in providing food for beneficial insects.

Hawthorn (Crataegus Phaenopyrum)

This product was recommended by Haris Bacic from PriceListo

Hawthorn with its white blossoms that often heralds spring is a fantastic early flower that will provide our insects with a boost. It is a traditional hedge plant that adds a delicate beauty to springtime and the birds like the berries too.

Zinnia (Zinnia spp.)

This product was recommended by Krizza Buendia from Euphoric View

These flowers are known to attract bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. To effectively attract beneficial insects to your garden, it is essential to have a diverse selection of plants that bloom at different times throughout the growing season, providing a consistent food and habitat source for these beneficial insects.

Tiger Paw Aster

This product was recommended by Nathan Walters from Best Reviews UK

The Outsidepride Tiger Paw Aster is an excellent choice for controlling insects in your garden or lawn. The vibrant, daisy-like flowers are both attractive and effective in attracting beneficial predatory insects to your garden. These predatory insects can help reduce the population of harmful insects that damage plants. The Tiger Paw Aster is also very easy to grow, as it tolerates a wide range of soils and growing conditions. The flowers are also very long-lasting, providing a beautiful display throughout the growing season. Overall, the Tiger Paw Aster is an excellent choice for controlling insects in your garden or lawn, as it is attractive, easy to care for, and effective in attracting beneficial predatory insects.

Chrysanthemums

This product was recommended by Kathy Gaudry from Profitable Small Farm

An outdoor plant that is great for repelling most bugs for it has naturally occurring pyrethrin (an insecticide). It can keep out bedbugs, fleas, lice, roaches, ants, spider mites, silverfish, Japanese beetles, ticks, harlequin bugs, and root-knot nematodes. This particular variety is a ground cover. Chrysanthemums make great, long-lasting cut flowers.

Pitcher Plants

This product was recommended by Kathy Gaudry from Profitable Small Farm

The unusual looking Pitcher plants are best grown in a pot sitting in a saucer of water for they are originally bog plants. They have leaves shaped like pitchers, and bugs are caught within those leaves, becoming food for the plant. Most common bugs caught are ants, snails, slugs, flies, wasps, beetles, and bees.

Basil Plant

This product was recommended by Kathy Gaudry from Profitable Small Farm

Basil is fragrant and a real favorite to cook with, but it also is effective in repelling the flea beetle and mosquitos. Another benefit of basil planted outside is that it will attract pollinators to your garden.

Rudbeckia Plant

This product was recommended by Jonathan Tian from Credityelp

Rudbeckia is also known as the Black-eyed Susan plant. It is the best plant for insects due to its composite flowers that attract hoverflies, robber flies, bees, and parasitoid wasps, among many others. You will love the plant for its low maintenance requirements and potential to self-sow and naturalize aggressively. Additionally, Rudbeckia can handle any soil and grows well with other perennials. Try combining it with Fountain Grasses, Sedum Autumn Joy, Feather Reed Grass, and more.

Rosemary

This product was recommended by Melisa Baker from FoodQueries

Rosemary is the best plant for keeping insects out because it’s a natural insect repellent. It has a strong smell that bugs don’t like, and it can be used as an all-natural deterrent in gardens or around windows. Rosemary also helps to repel mosquitoes, flies, moths, and fleas. I highly recommend everyone to buy a rosemary plant for their home.

Crocus

This product was recommended by Henffrey Muthama from LedAsk

The Crocus is a flowering plant, commonly known as Saffron Crocus. It is considered to be the most popular plant for insects and is perfect for sunny areas. The Crocuses are available for purchase in a range of colours, and prices. The Crocus will bloom in early spring and will attract early butterflies. The best part about the Crocus is that the flowers will last for about 2 weeks, so you will get multiple visits from early butterflies. The Crocus is also known for being easy to care for and will grow in a variety of environments.

Sweet Alyssum

This product was recommended by Gretchen Boyd from Nyc House Cleaners

Sweet Alyssum grows in low, sloping mounds that are very effective in attracting bees, butterflies, and other pollinators with their fragrant, little white blooms. It flowers for a long time, especially after the spent blooms are cut. Additionally, it offers shelter and shade to helpful ground-dwelling insects. Beneficial insects are drawn to the sweet alyssum blossoms before moving on to other nearby plants. These insects are advantageous to plants because they feed on pests. By providing a food source for beneficial insects, sweet alyssum may help to increase their populations, giving them more chances to attack pests.

Marigold

This product was recommended by Taylor Galla from GARDENAIDER

Marigold (Calendula officinalis) is a beautiful flower that is known for its bright yellow and orange hues. It is also known for its natural insect-repelling properties. It has been used for centuries to naturally repel pests such as mosquitoes, flies, and other insects. It can be planted in the garden or around the home to keep pests at bay. It also has medicinal properties, making it a great addition to any garden. Marigold is a hardy, easy to grow plant that is both beautiful and practical.

Lemongrass

This product was recommended by Anwar Kaur from Hindu Rope

Lemongrass is known to contain chemicals that act as a natural insect repellent. The strong odor of lemongrass sends out a signal to insects that it is not an ideal place to visit. It is the ingredient commonly known as citronella found in natural mosquito repellents. Additionally, lemongrass is low maintenance and can be a great addition to any garden. Placing lemongrass strategically near windows or doorways can help you keep insects from entering your home that’s why it’s one of the best plants for insects.

Goldenrod

This product was recommended by Min Tom from Happy Hong Konger

Goldenrod is a lovely yellow flower cluster that grows frequently alongside ragweed. As a result, many people mistakenly feel they are allergic to goldenrod. Butterflies, bees, parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, tachinid flies, and soldier beetles are all drawn to goldenrod. Goldenrod blooms in the late summer and early fall, making it a vital food source for migrating butterflies.

Purple Dead Nettle

This product was recommended by Min Tom from Happy Hong Konger

This grows naturally in many regions, you may not need to plant any. It’s one of the earliest feeds for bees (even before dandelions), making it an excellent addition to a homestead.

The parsley plant

This product was recommended by Alex Tinsman from How To Houseplant

The parsley plant is known to attract beneficial insects to the garden, such as bees and butterflies, making it a great addition to a garden. The plant is designed to attract beneficial insects. It possesses bright green, feathery leaves that have strong, slightly bitter flavors that are used to flavor soups, stews, and salads. Parsley has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Buddleia (Buddleja) or Butterfly Bush

This product was recommended by Jen Stark from Happy DIY Home

Butterfly bushes are some of the best plants for attracting pollinators like butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects. They provide a continuous source of nectar and pollen to help support healthy populations of these beneficial creatures. Butterfly bush flowers come in a variety of colors, from whites to pinks to purples. Planting several varieties together will ensure a constant supply of nectar throughout the growing season. Additionally, butterfly bushes are easy to grow and require minimal maintenance. Plant them in full sun and provide plenty of room for them to grow so that they reach their maximum size.

Bluebell Tubers

This product was recommended by Jen Stark from Happy DIY Home

These are great for attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies. They produce beautiful bluebell flowers in the spring, making them a wonderful choice to add color and beauty to your garden. The plant is low maintenance and deer resistant.

Hellebore

This product was recommended by Kevin Wang from Inyouths LED Mirrors

Hellebore plants are known for their beautiful, delicate flowers and attractive evergreen foliage. But they also offer great benefits to your garden by providing a refuge for beneficial insects and other pollinators. Hellebores are hardy perennials that will live for many years in your garden, so it’s worth including them as part of your wildlife-friendly garden. Hellebores provide a safe haven for beneficial insects and other pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and moths. The plant’s nectar- flowers are an especially attractive food source for these species. The dense foliage of hellebore plants provides shelter from the elements, making them a perfect spot for beneficial insects to take refuge.

The Snapdragon

This product was recommended by David Reid from VEM Tooling

A short-lived perennial that is typically treated as an annual when cultivated in gardens. The idea of a typical English rural garden with bees buzzing peacefully comes to me when I think of the Snapdragon. Just like with the Foxglove, it’s entertaining to watch them climbing in and out of the flower heads of the Snapdragon. They come in a wide variety of colors, do not require a lot of areas, and are simple to cultivate.

Mint

This product was recommended by Bridgette Witte from Culinary Debates

Mint is a fantastic plant to use to develop dense, multi-use patches of shaded foliage. While mint serves as a habitat for predatory insects and decomposers, it can also be harvested for tea and other culinary purposes. Bees like the blooms very much. As an alternative, lemon balm or anise-hyssop are other plants from the mint family that are effective.

Golden Sunflower

This product was recommended by Dave Chester from CUSTOM CONTROLS (UK) LTD

The golden sunflowers have proven to be good for insect growth. The sunflower has the ability to attract pollinators. The presence of sunflowers plays a significant role in bringing the insects and flowers closer to each other. The mild fragrance of the plant adds an advantage to bringing insects together. The sunflower acts as a platform where insects and animals can perform their mating and pollination. It increases the growth, development, and variability in the generation of diverse organisms.

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Written by Zak Parker

Journalist, writer, musician, professional procrastinator. I'll add more here later.

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